San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-08-24
VICTIMS OF CONSUMPTION.
Those Afflicted with the Disease Advised
to Seek High Lands.

Those Afflicted with the Disease Advised
to Seek High Lands.
Consumption is the cause Of nearly Il per
cent OF the whole number Of deaths. or about
in 1900 Of the whole population each
year the world over Professor HiTsch, in a
recent work, has given many interesting sta
tistics regarding its causes, prevalence and
distribution.
He shows that impure air and bad hygiene
are potent factors in its production. Damp
ness Of air and soil have an influence, but
less than has been generally supposed, especi-
ally the former, and 10 substantiate this claim
he shows that the death rate is as high in
sunny Italy as in foggy England.
The disease is most prevalent in temperate
climates, but exists IN u virulent form In the
tropics II is less common In cold regions,
and rare within the polar circles. IL is al
most unknown among the wandering tribes
of Central Asia, but soon makes its appear
ance when, as sometimes happens, these
tribes cease their wanderings and settle In
towns.
Density Of population is an important fac
tor in determining the geographical distribu-
ton Of consumption. Professor Hirsch's
tables show that the largest relative mortality
occurs in the dense centers OF population,
and the smallest In sparsely settled rural dis
tricts. In Vienna, for example, the death
rate is ~ per 800 and in Pesth GO per 600;
while in the smaller towns the rate Is from
rs to 80 per 1000, and in the rural districts
still less
The influence Of altitude Is even morn
marked. Among the higher Alps, the Andes,
the Himalayas and other extremely elevated
regions these is an almost complete immunity
from the disease, notwithstanding other con
ditions may be unfavorable. Even among
the miners Of Potosi, where bad hygienic
conditions abound, consumption can scarcely
gain foothold.
A study of recent registration reports shows
that the same laws hold good in New England
as in other parts Of the world The influence
Of altitude is especially evident Thus, in the
White mountain region in New Hampshire
the mortality from consumption was only
l.28 per 1000 Of population, while In Rock
ingham county, the only one In the state
which borders on the Atlantic ocean, 1t was
2O5 per 1000. In the vicinity Of Capa Cod
IL was 345 per 1000, while among the Berk.
shire hills, in the western part OF the state, II
was but 219 per 1000 In New Haven
county, Conn, which consists mainly Of low
lands, it was $50 per 1000, while among the
mountains of Litchfield county it was only
l.57 per LOCO.
These facts suggest the propriety Of the use
of the mountainous regions Of New England
as a sanitarium by persons having tendency
to consumption, or suffering from its first
stages, who are unable to reach distant health
resorts.
Increasing civilization, better personal by
giene. and improved public sanitation result
in a decrease in the mortality from consump
ton. In Massachusetts,, for example, this de
crease has amounted in thirty-iv years &c
6.22 per cent, having been 2204 per cent oil
the entire mortality from 1850 TO 1860, and
only 1882 per cent. from 1880 to lSSj.-Bos
ton Globe.